Napoles’ blood pressure shoots up due to claustrophobia

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/PNP/PIO

MANILA, Philippines – Janet Lim-Napoles’ blood pressure shot up to 180/150 before dawn Monday allegedly triggered by her claustrophobic disorder.

In a text advisory, Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP-Public Information Office chief, said Napoles complained of “anxiety attack due to her claustrophobic disorder” around 3 a.m.

Claustrophobia is explained as an anxiety disorder in which one suffers from fear of being in a crowded area, fear of having no escape, and being closed-in, among others.

When the nurse on duty at the Fort San Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna where she is detained, checked Napoles, her blood pressure was said to have went up at 180/150 while her sugar dropped to 40mg/dl.

“Her condition was restored to normal by 4 a.m.,” Sindac said, noting that her blood pressure was recorded at 120/90 and her sugar level at 112 mg/dl.

In a separate press briefing at Camp Crame, Sindac said Napoles’ detention facility was, indeed, rather small compared to the house she was used to live in.

“Tapos inin-close mo pa ng sako. The optical illusion would make it even smaller,” Sindac said, but noted that the fact that her vitals normalized just after an hour was a “good sign.”

Quoting the statement of Napoles’ lawyers, Sindac said her lawyers will not use this incident as prelude to a hospital arrest.

But if there would be an urgent need to bring her to the hospital, Sindac said it would have to be the call of a doctor, and security protocols would be followed for her transfer.

Napoles had ham, egg and rice for breakfast at 6 a.m., he added. A radio report, however, quoted PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) Commander Carmelo Valmoria as saying that Napoles didn’t eat the egg.

Sindac said Napoles’ security from SAF took a quick seminar led by the Bureau of Jai Management and Penology on jail management.

Meanwhile, Sindac said Napoles had five visitors, including her children, at Fort San Sto. Domingo on Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sindac said Napoles’ visitors were her children – James, Christian and Christine Napoles – and lawyers Bettina Zamora and Deanna Singian.

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